where there is a royal family or dictatorial leader, U.S. govt is heavily influenced by public perception. In Saddam's Iraq, or Iran now, demonstrators get shot and killed. In U.S., demonstrators (in large enough numbers) can influence media and public opinion against a war. So, I would think some insurgent leaders somewhere would know that if all is calm in Iraq, then the pressure would be on our govt to end the occupation and bring the troops home. Seems like that could have occurred much sooner had the insurgents allowed a false calm and peace and let the Americans and other coalition forces go home. Fighting kept us there this long (which, if their purpose was simply to keep Americans close enough to kill, would make some sense in that respect).
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